1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a horizontal drain.
2. Discussion of the Background
A drain for discharging rainwater is used at scupper on a rooftop or on a veranda on each floor of a building, an apartment, etc. Usually, such drain is a so-called vertical drain which introduces rainwater from above and discharges it downward.
The vertical drain is, however, difficult to install for example on a veranda immediately below which there is a room. In such a case, a so-called horizontal drain is used which introduces and discharges rainwater horizontally.
FIGS. 8 to 10 represent a conventional horizontal drain a, which comprises a drain main body b, a drain casing c and a drain cover d.
The main body b comprises a substantially horizontal pan e and a vertical flange f connected to the pan e and is substantially L-shaped in side view. With the pan e being placed on a floor g of for example a veranda, the flange f is fixed on a wall i through bolts h so that the main body b is attached at a corner defined by the floor g and the wall i. The flange f has a horizontal drain bore j with an internal thread k for threaded engagement with a drain pipe 1 which horizontally penetrates the wall i and which is threaded at its tip end. The pipe 1 is bent at a right angle outside the wall i and extends downward.
The drain casing c comprises a horizontal member m, which is placed on the pan e when installed, a vertical member n abutted with the flange f when installed and side plates o mounted on and interconnecting the members m and n at opposite side ends of the members m and n and is of right-angled triangle in side view. The members m and n define together a large opening p through which rainwater is allowed to flow from the casing c into the main body b. Each of the side plates o has a plurality of guide slots q which extend from the diagonal side of the right-angled triangle toward the members m and n to guide rainwater from outside into the casing c, as shown in FIG. 9.
The drain cover d is flat and is mounted on and along the diagonal side of the casing c. The cover d has a plurality of guide slots r which extend along the diagonal side of the casing c to guide rainwater from outside into the casing c.
Rainwater gathering on the floor g is allowed to pass into the casing c through the slots r and q and is discharged through the opening p, the bore j and the pipe 1 to a drain canal (not shown).
The conventional horizontal drain a as described above has the following disadvantages:
(i) Since rainwater is guided by the guide slots q and r simply cut out on the flat side plates o and cover d, respectively, rainwater gathering in a large quantity may deflect aside, failing to be rapidly guided into the drain a. PA1 (ii) Because of the side plates o and cover d being flat, fallen leaves or the like may cling to them to block the guide slots q and/or r, which hinders smooth guidance of rainwater into the drain a. Small tree branches or the like may happen to stick into the guide slots q and/or r, which narrows in area the guide slots q and/or r and also hinders smooth guidance of rainwater into the drain a. PA1 (iii) People may stumble over the drain casing c which is of right-angled triangle in side view and which protruded out of floor g and the wall i. PA1 (iv) Rainwater may leak owing to the thread engagement at k between the drain pipe 1 and the vertical flange f. PA1 (v) Many component parts are required such as the drain main body b, the drain casing c and the drain cover d, which leads to complications in manufacture and installation.